The Mellor loop – an accepted set of processes for training system development - is fully understood by the SafeAim team. The team is familiar and conversant with the processes of internal and external validation of a training system.

The use of task analysis coupled with the identification of training needs forms a solid foundation for all types of training design. We recognize the importance of an incremental approach to training, allowing students and instructors to move forward against pre-determined performance criteria using media allocated appropriately to meet the agreed training objectives. At the same time, the SAT approach places heavy emphasis and great importance on the performance of the students, the instructors and the training systems. Thus, the methods used to train and assess the students under a variety of conditions against pre-determined standards, place a need to ensure that the training system design incorporates an assessment strategy that embodies the performance data to be recorded.

The need to validate, both internally and externally, the performance of the training system has been the major thrust underpinning training systems design – discrete processes in the systematic approach to training. Examples of these processes include the collection and analysis of student performance data in Precision Gunnery Training Equipment (PGTE) - Courseware Management System and the Royal Army Oman Troop Fire Control Trainer (TFCT) courseware suite. Such systems allow the agencies responsible for training effectiveness (and cost effectiveness) to identify whether training objectives (or job performance objectives) are being taught correctly in the first instance (internal validation). Additionally, external validation concentrates on identifying whether those training objectives are appropriate to the task in hand (this data is but a small part of other data collected from elsewhere, but is very important to the overall performance of the training system).